Sicuani, Peru

Mission Sharing; Sicuani, Peru	26 kb	.doc
Sicuani Appeal 2011	26 kb	.doc
The Mission Work of Sr. Eileen Egan	355 kb	.doc

Christmas 2008 from Sicuani, Peru

Christmas 2010 – Peru

Blessings of Christmas and the New Year 2011 to you and your family.

Last summer in Lima I participated in a national catechetical meeting. As part of the closing prayer we were asked to form partners with someone we didn't know. A man from the city picked me. We shared a resolution we had for the year and then prayed for each other. After laying my hands on his shoulders and praying for him, I shared that I needed help visiting the families of our parish who are unchurched. When he asked where I lived and I responded Sicuani, he started to cry as he prayed for me, thanking me for serving his people so far away in the Andes. I was touched by his gratitude. The words of the song rang in my ears: "How beautiful on the mountaintops are the feet of those who bring Your Word..."

CHRISTMAS IS SHARING THE GOOD NEWS WHEREVER WE ARE

There's a parish in Ubstadt-Weiher, Germany that raises funds to help with our IHM House of Studies for girls from the outlying villages so that they can go to high school in town. This year, they invited Flora Cruz, who's in charge of the boarders, and myself to visit them. The trip lasted ten days which included presenting pictures and stories about each of our girls, also visiting the local schools, and various cultural attractions. The latter included a tour of a medieval castle in Heidelberg, and a nature walk through the Black Forest. Even the mayor of the town met with us and gave a donation toward our mission. They recently helped buy a field to plant crops from harvesting. The Confirmation class took up a collection to help with our Kids Summer Program in January. It's humbling to be the recipient of so much generosity.

CHRISTMAS IS FOR CELEBRATING GOD'S UNIVERSAL LOVE

Having worked for more than 20 years in the educational apostolate in Peru, I'm finally getting a pension to the dollar equivalent of $150 a month. That'll help reduce the budget a little and keep some food on the table. In the early 1980's, we needed to take a written and oral test in Spanish in order to have our degrees from the US recognized by the Peruvian government which entitled us to be included in the pension plan. Never thought I'd live to see the result. All that for this. Oh well, every little bit counts.

CHRISTMAS IS FOR REJOICING WITH WHAT IS

Our orphans, Rufina and Victor are well. Victor graduates from Marywood in May. He's looking for a scholarship to study for his Master's. Rufina and Valentine now have son number four, who was born in May. Ishmael, age 8, Isaac, age 6, and Moses, age 4, visit frequently and play with the toys that are used with our children's groups. When I was taking them downtown to get school supplies, each one was discussing what he needed. Moses, the preschooler piped up and said he could use a little plastic car. The eldest responded that he doesn't want any more toys because he needs to take his studies seriously now that he's in second grade. Later, he did comment that he could use a bag of little plastic animals in order to teach their names to his siblings. A laugh a minute...

CHRISTMAS IS FOR ENJOYING THE TINY VOICES AROUND US

Living in the mountains (two miles high) puts me closer to the heavens. Each night when I turn out the patio lights I say to myself, "Turning out the stars." They're so bright they almost seem within reaching distance. Two precious people in my life died this year: Albano Quinn, our retired bishop and my young cousin, Eileen Migliaccio. I count them as new stars in the night sky. Albano was cremated and his ashes were returned to the cathedral crypt in Sicuani. During the procession into town, I was invited to carry the funeral urn. I held it close to my heart and prayed that Albano would give me his love for those who live at the edge of society. That's what Christmas is about: "God with Us": no matter where we are or how we are.

May this be true for you and your family.

Thanks for sharing this mission with me.

Love, Eileen